‘Dickie Roberts’ skewers stardom

(PG-13) **1/2

Nobody oozes insincerity quite like David Spade. Thecomedian-turned-film star has made a career of delivering sarcasticbarbs with a painted-on smile.

What better person to portray the fictional Dickie Roberts?

In this lampoon of Hollywood celebrity, Spade plays Roberts, a30-something actor trying to regain a foothold in the entertainmentindustry. In the '70s, he was a child star of the TV hit "The GlimmerGang," but when the show's ratings started to decline, his motherabandoned him ... and his whole fanbase soon followed.

Now a parking valet who hasn't landed a decent role in decades, thebitter Roberts is even reluctant to write a memoir about hisexperiences.

"I can't publish this now, because it ends up with me being a loser,"he explains.

When he hears that director Rob Reiner is casting the lead in a moviethat is sure to be a blockbuster, he auditions for the coveted role.But Reiner explains to Dickie that he is wrong for the part becausehe can't convey genuine emotions on screen since he "missed out onthe basic foundation of adulthood, which is a childhood."

Convinced that he needs to relive the formative years he skipped,Roberts hires a surrogate family to give him a crash course inupbringing. The sleazy father (Craig Bierko) pounces on the chance toearn extra money, even though his reluctant but good-natured wife(Mary McCormack) and preteen kids (Scott Terra and Jenna Boyd)consider it a weird intrusion.

Ultimately, the struggling actor learns through his domesticinteraction that there really is more to life than just a career inthe spotlight.

Before it shifts into warm-fuzzy mode in the final act, "DickieRoberts: Former Child Star" is a rather merciless satire of thefleeting nature of fame. The gags are especially strong during ahilarious intro where the star's tale is examined in an "E! TrueHollywood Story" report.

Here it's revealed all the levels the man sunk to in his quest toremain famous. At one point he even legally changed his name to DavidSoul's Son.

Spade proves that it's plenty easy to mock former child actors, butit's actually enterprising to directly involve them in the plot.

Rarely have so many cameos been used so effectively. These range froma "Celebrity Boxing" match where Roberts is pummeled by "Webster"lead Emmanuel Lewis to a weekly poker match with fellow washed-upicons Barry Williams, Leif Garrett, Corey Feldman, Dustin Diamond andDanny Bonaduce. (Anybody else think this is an homage to the bridgegame in "Sunset Boulevard" involving the spurned silent-screen idols?)

Yes, the premise of an adult joining a family to relive one'schildhood is ridiculous, but at least the execution of this dippyplot device is enjoyable. The casting helps ease the pain. As themom, McCormack (best known for playing Howard Stern's wife in"Private Parts") projects the warmth and sincerity that her leadingman often lacks.

And credit Spade and co-writer Fred Wolf ("Saturday Night Live") forgenerously giving his child co-stars some of the best lines. Theyoungsters are especially funny when helping their adopted "brother"adjust to the inherent dangers of children's toys such as the Slip 'nSlide and Water Wiggle.

"Dickie Roberts" is easily the most satisfying of Spade's starringvehicles - although with "Joe Dirt" and "Lost & Found" on a resume,that's hardly saying a lot.

At least the jokester has finally found a character to match hissmarmy, pop-culture-obsessed personality.